How do you guys get those Enigmas and other High-end Runewords?

I am genuinely curious. Long-story short, I played d2 before beating Normal(and I thought it's the end of the game:). I started d2r maybe a month or two after the release playing casually few hours after work.

Max rune I got by today is

Sur, which back in the days I exchanged for a Sorc Torch, that was my first experience in trading on this forum. My achievements are a Spirit,

Shako, Occi, which I later switched to full

Tal Rasha. Then I made a Smiter with Treachery and can do ubers alone. Currently I am sitting at maybe 10

Ist max. I only Dream about Fortitude, Call To Arms, Grief and god forbid Enigma, Chains of Honor or Infinity.

At the same time each day I read topics like the one where a Necro-guy complains that he did Enigma in 2 weeks and hates it because he put it into a

Dusk Shroud and looks like a bum. Like really, 2 weeks man? Even if it was a month, how?

PS: I do keysets. One is worth like

Ist to sell and takes hours to grind. Or I can do ubers and get an assassin 10-13 torch and go cry in the corner, doesn't look like a reliable source of getting rich, but what are the others, please share

That sorc torch trade was probably a waste if Enigma was your goal. I was farming torches when it was worth that and I'd be selling all torches, even those I wanted to use really badly. Torches can be rebought (or refound) later for less. Overall, very active trading (especially early ladder when margins are crazy) is profitable as well as actively farming HRs (I've seen 15+ drop since launch but it can get boring). You will not get as much from trading right now (except for really rare items) so HR farming would be your best shot.

Got Enigma and Infinity with a combination of the following:

Farmed keys with Sorceress selling them 3 for

Um, found accidentally

Sur and

Lo.

Traded

Sur for

Lo and made 2 Grief PB (389/33) (382/40).

Horked the crap out of

Travincal with my new barb, finding an SOJ's and

Sur (

Ber)

Made a Smiter Paladin and Farmed my own keys and sold about 16 torches (

Jah)

Enigma.

Horked some more (alot more) got a

Sur and slowly traded myself up to a

Ber.

Went with my necro leveling up in Hell and some random

Ber popped.

Traded myself up to E

Cryptic Axe and an

Ist and

Mal (Infinity).

Farmed extra SOJ's with hork barb (anni).

All took about from the start of the game till today (finished Infinity today). It took a crap ton of luck and hard work, but thats what d2r is all about.

kaikossades wrote: 3 years ago

I am genuinely curious. Long-story short, I played d2 before beating Normal(and I thought it's the end of the game:). I started d2r maybe a month or two after the release playing casually few hours after work.

Max rune I got by today is

Sur, which back in the days I exchanged for a Sorc Torch, that was my first experience in trading on this forum. My achievements are a Spirit,

Shako, Occi, which I later switched to full

Tal Rasha. Then I made a Smiter with Treachery and can do ubers alone. Currently I am sitting at maybe 10

Ist max. I only Dream about Fortitude, Call To Arms, Grief and god forbid Enigma, Chains of Honor or Infinity.

At the same time each day I read topics like the one where a Necro-guy complains that he did Enigma in 2 weeks and hates it because he put it into a

Dusk Shroud and looks like a bum. Like really, 2 weeks man? Even if it was a month, how?

PS: I do keysets. One is worth like

Ist to sell and takes hours to grind. Or I can do ubers and get an assassin 10-13 torch and go cry in the corner, doesn't look like a reliable source of getting rich, but what are the others, please share

Also dont sell

Key sets for

Ist. Pay like an extra

Key to a smiter and get a

Gul for an unidentified torch (nvm, you can do your own ubers, sell them for

Gul. It is still possible as of TODAY).

Bounder wrote: 3 years ago

That sorc torch trade was probably a waste if Enigma was your goal. I was farming torches when it was worth that and I'd be selling all torches, even those I wanted to use really badly. Torches can be rebought (or refound) later for less. Overall, very active trading (especially early ladder when margins are crazy) is profitable as well as actively farming HRs (I've seen 15+ drop since launch but it can get boring). You will not get as much from trading right now (except for really rare items) so HR farming would be your best shot.

I know that was a shitty trade, but I was very new, so that's was a beginner's mistake. I see, so most of the stuff is done in the beginning of the season, thanks

Aegis200 wrote: 3 years ago

Got Enigma and Infinity with a combination of the following:

Farmed keys selling them for

Um, found accidentally

Sur and

Lo.

Traded

Sur for

Lo and made 2 Grief PB (389/33) (382/40).

Horked the crap out of

Travincal with my new barb, finding an SOJ's and

Sur (

Ber)

Made a Smiter Paladin and Farmed my own keys and sold about 16 torches (

Jah)

Enigma.

Horked some more (alot more) got a

Sur and slowly traded myself up to a

Ber.

Went with my necro leveling up in Hell and some random

Ber popped.

Traded myself up to E

Cryptic Axe and an

Ist and

Mal (Infinity).

Farmed extra SOJ's with hork barb (anni).

All took about from the start of the game till today (finished Infinity today). It took a crap ton of luck and hard work, but thats what d2r is all about.

kaikossades wrote: 3 years ago

I am genuinely curious. Long-story short, I played d2 before beating Normal(and I thought it's the end of the game:). I started d2r maybe a month or two after the release playing casually few hours after work.

Max rune I got by today is

Sur, which back in the days I exchanged for a Sorc Torch, that was my first experience in trading on this forum. My achievements are a Spirit,

Shako, Occi, which I later switched to full

Tal Rasha. Then I made a Smiter with Treachery and can do ubers alone. Currently I am sitting at maybe 10

Ist max. I only Dream about Fortitude, Call To Arms, Grief and god forbid Enigma, Chains of Honor or Infinity.

At the same time each day I read topics like the one where a Necro-guy complains that he did Enigma in 2 weeks and hates it because he put it into a

Dusk Shroud and looks like a bum. Like really, 2 weeks man? Even if it was a month, how?

PS: I do keysets. One is worth like

Ist to sell and takes hours to grind. Or I can do ubers and get an assassin 10-13 torch and go cry in the corner, doesn't look like a reliable source of getting rich, but what are the others, please share

Also dont sell

Key sets for

Ist. Pay like an extra

Key to a smiter and get a

Gul for an unidentified torch.

Thank you! Really interesting, I will definitely have a look into a Hork Barb, I didn't know that was a thing.

If you want another rune find suggestion, p8 arcane and cows with lightsorc/java respectively. Lightsorc is the cheaper option, pretty viable with just talset. No need for Infinity (but it will speed you up once you afford it). You might also consider buying a cheap CTA for less than the CTA cost since that could be worth the investment here.

Hork barbs are amazing for Magic find and rune find. It gets massively repetitive, but with decent cooldowns I was getting a ton of rare jewerly and good runes every day or so.

I haven't played as much lately as since launch, but the highest rune I've found myself is a

Gul. Given the rarity of high runes trading is a must.
But also keep in mind that the posts you see here are only a fraction of players, and of course the wealthiest ones tend to boast more about their accomplishments. My best runeword is Heart of the Oak, I didn't get any super valuable drop besides a Griffon and I came late to the torch trading and got bored of farming keys. Lots of players are in same boat as you are!

Bounder wrote: 3 years ago

If you want another rune find suggestion, p8 arcane and cows with lightsorc/java respectively. Lightsorc is the cheaper option, pretty viable with just talset. No need for Infinity (but it will speed you up once you afford it). You might also consider buying a cheap CTA for less than the CTA cost since that could be worth the investment here.

Hm, but isn't it impossible to set player count in online? Is lightsorc better than blizz? I though clearing with blizz is the fastest because it's damage output(and don't get people buying griffon's for insane prices)?

Peacku wrote: 3 years ago

I haven't played as much lately as since launch, but the highest rune I've found myself is a

Gul. Given the rarity of high runes trading is a must.
But also keep in mind that the posts you see here are only a fraction of players, and of course the wealthiest ones tend to boast more about their accomplishments. My best runeword is Heart of the Oak, I didn't get any super valuable drop besides a Griffon and I came late to the torch trading and got bored of farming keys. Lots of players are in same boat as you are!

Oh, that's a relief, really. I though every forum member has an Enigma by now by the amount of times I see topics about it.

Peacku wrote: 3 years ago

I haven't played as much lately as since launch, but the highest rune I've found myself is a

Gul. Given the rarity of high runes trading is a must.
But also keep in mind that the posts you see here are only a fraction of players, and of course the wealthiest ones tend to boast more about their accomplishments. My best runeword is Heart of the Oak, I didn't get any super valuable drop besides a Griffon and I came late to the torch trading and got bored of farming keys. Lots of players are in same boat as you are!

Couldn't agree more with this statement. If you realize that the game starts feeling more like a job or a chore, stop grinding. I also HATE farming keys. Did a couple extra for the

Cryptic Axe. But I dont long seeing

The Summoner drop dead with NOTHING for the 20th time (Hate farming Keys of Hate)

kaikossades wrote: 3 years ago

Bounder wrote: 3 years ago

If you want another rune find suggestion, p8 arcane and cows with lightsorc/java respectively. Lightsorc is the cheaper option, pretty viable with just talset. No need for Infinity (but it will speed you up once you afford it). You might also consider buying a cheap CTA for less than the CTA cost since that could be worth the investment here.

Hm, but isn't it impossible to set player count in online? Is lightsorc better than blizz? I though clearing with blizz is the fastest because it's damage output(and don't get people buying griffon's for insane prices)?

It is impossible. Find

Baal and cow games and do your thing. Griffon is not necessary, just

Tal set. do consider a cheap cta though. Yes, blizz is faster in general but in arcane enemies line up in a straight line in many locations. It will suck for MFing speed so it's a commitment to do arcane for a long time (or spend Token if you get bored).

kaikossades wrote: 3 years ago

I am genuinely curious. Long-story short, I played d2 before beating Normal(and I thought it's the end of the game:). I started d2r maybe a month or two after the release playing casually few hours after work.

Max rune I got by today is

Sur, which back in the days I exchanged for a Sorc Torch, that was my first experience in trading on this forum. My achievements are a Spirit,

Shako, Occi, which I later switched to full

Tal Rasha. Then I made a Smiter with Treachery and can do ubers alone. Currently I am sitting at maybe 10

Ist max. I only Dream about Fortitude, Call To Arms, Grief and god forbid Enigma, Chains of Honor or Infinity.

At the same time each day I read topics like the one where a Necro-guy complains that he did Enigma in 2 weeks and hates it because he put it into a

Dusk Shroud and looks like a bum. Like really, 2 weeks man? Even if it was a month, how?

PS: I do keysets. One is worth like

Ist to sell and takes hours to grind. Or I can do ubers and get an assassin 10-13 torch and go cry in the corner, doesn't look like a reliable source of getting rich, but what are the others, please share

I ran Chaos over and over again. I think Chaos has the best mix of dropping tradeable items & HRs and enjoyability of the runs (whereas repeatedly running LK or Trav is absolutely miserable).

Although RNG is strange. I've never found any rune

Ist -

Vex, but I've found an

Ohm, a

Ber, and a

Zod.

I think running keys repeatedly doesn't generate enough ROI these days because unless you hit a high Sorc or Paladin torch, you're basically getting 0.5-1

Ist worth of value for all of the effort to farm 9 keys and kill Ubers.

At 1/14 * 1/9 = 126 runs to get a

Key set, I think you would get way more value out of ~100 Chaos runs on average.

it is just so luck based. While I dont have an Enigma or CoH, I found a

Jah (first week!), 3 Los, a

Sur, and a

Vex since starting. I have been able to parlay that into a Grief and double Dream on my paladin, and am very close (currently 1

Lo 1

Vex 4

Ist) to the

Ber I want for Chains of Honor. This is all signifcantly more than the combined efforts of my many years playing legacy off and on, where my finds were a

Ber and a

Cham, and that was it. Just gotta grind and pray. I will say though, on top of getting keys/torches, another thing I dont see people talk much about are farming essences. one token is an

Um or so and I have probably made in the neighborhood of 20 tokens since D2R came out. that definitely adds up over time as well

drostealth wrote: 3 years ago

it is just so luck based. While I dont have an Enigma or CoH, I found a

Jah (first week!), 3 Los, a

Sur, and a

Vex since starting. I have been able to parlay that into a Grief and double Dream on my paladin, and am very close (currently 1

Lo 1

Vex 4

Ist) to the

Ber I want for Chains of Honor. This is all signifcantly more than the combined efforts of my many years playing legacy off and on, where my finds were a

Ber and a

Cham, and that was it. Just gotta grind and pray. I will say though, on top of getting keys/torches, another thing I dont see people talk much about are farming essences. one token is an

Um or so and I have probably made in the neighborhood of 20 tokens since D2R came out. that definitely adds up over time as well

Issue with essences are that the green essences are such a major pain in the ass to farm. Even if you have high end gear,

Baal runs are just so much less rewarding and more dangerous than Chaos runs.

sonnytai331 wrote: 3 years ago

At 1/14 * 1/9 = 126 runs to get a

Key set, I think you would get way more value out of ~100 Chaos runs on average.

Could get.

sonnytai331 wrote: 3 years ago

drostealth wrote: 3 years ago

it is just so luck based. While I dont have an Enigma or CoH, I found a

Jah (first week!), 3 Los, a

Sur, and a

Vex since starting. I have been able to parlay that into a Grief and double Dream on my paladin, and am very close (currently 1

Lo 1

Vex 4

Ist) to the

Ber I want for Chains of Honor. This is all signifcantly more than the combined efforts of my many years playing legacy off and on, where my finds were a

Ber and a

Cham, and that was it. Just gotta grind and pray. I will say though, on top of getting keys/torches, another thing I dont see people talk much about are farming essences. one token is an

Um or so and I have probably made in the neighborhood of 20 tokens since D2R came out. that definitely adds up over time as well

Issue with essences are that the green essences are such a major pain in the ass to farm. Even if you have high end gear,

Baal runs are just so much less rewarding and more dangerous than Chaos runs.

I use a blizzard sorc and I dont think it is too bad? Honestly as long as you have at least an elite polearm on your hireling there is not much danger in those runs, and it is honestly the same thing you need to make Chaos runs remotely quick with blizzard sorc. granted I now have my tesladin to burn through both Chaos and

Baal runs, but I was doing it previously with my blizzard sorc. The less rewarding part of

Baal runs is definitely offset if you glitch it so you always get the quest drop from

Baal, though I assume not everyone is willing to do that. But yeah, if you cant get green essence easily then it does pretty much toss that idea

Cryptography wrote: 3 years ago

sonnytai331 wrote: 3 years ago

At 1/14 * 1/9 = 126 runs to get a

Key set, I think you would get way more value out of ~100 Chaos runs on average.

Could get.

That's why I said "on average"

drostealth wrote: 3 years ago

sonnytai331 wrote: 3 years ago

drostealth wrote: 3 years ago

it is just so luck based. While I dont have an Enigma or CoH, I found a

Jah (first week!), 3 Los, a

Sur, and a

Vex since starting. I have been able to parlay that into a Grief and double Dream on my paladin, and am very close (currently 1

Lo 1

Vex 4

Ist) to the

Ber I want for Chains of Honor. This is all signifcantly more than the combined efforts of my many years playing legacy off and on, where my finds were a

Ber and a

Cham, and that was it. Just gotta grind and pray. I will say though, on top of getting keys/torches, another thing I dont see people talk much about are farming essences. one token is an

Um or so and I have probably made in the neighborhood of 20 tokens since D2R came out. that definitely adds up over time as well

Issue with essences are that the green essences are such a major pain in the ass to farm. Even if you have high end gear,

Baal runs are just so much less rewarding and more dangerous than Chaos runs.

I use a blizzard sorc and I dont think it is too bad? Honestly as long as you have at least an elite polearm on your hireling there is not much danger in those runs, and it is honestly the same thing you need to make Chaos runs remotely quick with blizzard sorc. granted I now have my tesladin to burn through both Chaos and

Baal runs, but I was doing it previously with my blizzard sorc. The less rewarding part of

Baal runs is definitely offset if you glitch it so you always get the quest drop from

Baal, though I assume not everyone is willing to do that. But yeah, if you cant get green essence easily then it does pretty much toss that idea

Yeah I have a hammerdin, and the wave 2 monsters are time consuming because magic immune, so that makes it even longer. So I guess it's char dependent

I've crafted all the Runewords you have mentioned. I mainly farm

Chaos Sanctuary runs on a blizz Sorc and Trav on a

Frenzy Barb.

Frenzy barb is not the most efficient for Trav, but I enjoy it the most. For the barb make sure you use

Find Item on the corpses and don't equip anything with cold dmg like a

Raven Frost that will cause the corpse to shatter.

In

Chaos Sanctuary I've found:
1

Ber, 1

Jah, 1

Sur, 1

Ohm, several

Gul,

Ist, and

Mal

In Trav I've found:
2

Lo, 2

Sur,

Ohm, several

Gul,

Ist, and

Mal

Chaos Sanctuary is more entertaining than Trav. You also get the potential for high level item drops that you won't get in Trav. Trav runs produce a lot of jewels, charms, and rare rings and amulets. It also produces a lot of gold which you can use to gamble. I've gambled a lot of valuable rings (dual leech,

Caster Ring with 20str, 15 dex etc). Charms and jewels can be very valuable as well. I've found skillers with life, charms with max dmg, AR, and life, jewels with IAS and ED. You find enough of these to trade up for higher runes.

I've found a lot of the bases I needed doing cow runs on my Javazon.

I have a done quite a bit of runs. I would estimate close to 1-2k Chaos runs and over 2k Trav runs. I have yet to find a

Vex,

Cham, or

Zod rune. I play casually after work and a bit on the weekends. The

Key is to knowing what jewelry, charms, and jewels are valuable and trading up. Look at what things are selling for on different sites. You might accidentally trade something valuable for way less than it was worth because you didn't look around enough and took the first few offers that came your way.